How To Spot Reality TV Editing Tricks: Reaction Shots
Sometimes the "reality" on reality shows needs a little help. Here, our intrepid editors show you how to spot one of the most powerful tools in their arsenal: The Reaction Shot.
Step 1: The Joke-Killer
This classic is used to take a character down a peg. Say Secretary 1 fancies herself quite the comedian, and tells her co-workers a joke. She gets a polite laugh, but where's the drama in that? Instead of using the real reaction, an editor will poke around to find the most deadpan expressions he can. The blank stares of downtime are the best places to find these. Now when our secretary goes in for the punch-line, this is what she gets: silence. Excruciating humiliation? Now That's funny.
Step 2: "Create-A-Crush"
Love and lust are staples of any good story, and no one knows this more than the creators of reality TV. But if the sparks aren't flying, there's always the editing equivalent of rubbing 2 sticks together. Editors will sift through hours of footage, just to find a lingering smile or an up & down look to generate some workplace heat. No matter that our leading man was reacting to something else entirely. This is a more difficult task than the Kill-A-Joke, and may require some music to reinforce the romance. But when it works, let's just say it's very satisfying.
Step 3: The Fake Rivalry
Confrontation is a staple of reality shows. But what if you end up with a cast that won't bite? Answer: You get an editor on the case. With no real rivalry to work with, our editor has decided that Secretary 1 should have it in for Secretary 2. All she needs are some angry-looking shots of Secretary 1 to use as reactions. She'll find 'em from the point where our secretary is talking about how much she hates Pilates. Splice a few of these moody shots into the conversation, and soon you're looking at an all-out war. An angry close-up adds what editors call a "button"- a moment of closure that finishes the scene off right. (Apparently, Pilates is not for everyone.)
Not every reaction shot in a reality show is fake- and the most genuine ones create real empathy and emotion. But knowing how to sense a fake reaction makes you a savvy viewer… And Kuleshev would want it that way.
